A drive system for a vehicle having a rear drive assembly powered by a first power source, a front drive assembly in selective electrical communication with a second power source, a selector switch to selectively permit or prevent electrical communication between the front drive assembly and the second power source, and an output capacity sensor to detect an output of the first power source, where the rear drive assembly drives the vehicle when the selector switch is in a first position and both the rear and front drive assemblies drive the vehicle when the selector switch is in a second position and the output capacity sensor detects that the output of the first power source meets a threshold output.

Methods and systems for a vehicle transmission are provided. In one example, a vehicle transmission system is provided that includes a first planetary gear set rotationally coupled to a second planetary gear set, a first electrical machine rotationally coupled to a sun gear in the first planetary gear set, and a second electrical machine rotationally coupled to a sun gear in the second planetary gear set. The transmission system also includes an inter-axle differential including a third planetary gear set rotationally coupled to a first axle and a second axle and selectively rotationally coupled to the first planetary gear set and the second planetary gear set, wherein the inter-axle differential is configured to selectively enable and disable speed differentiation between the first and the second axles.

A drive train for installation in a vehicle chassis includes a power source, two motor/generators (M/Gs), an array of batteries, and a control system for configuring the drive train to operate using only the power source, only the batteries or a combination of the power source and batteries. The control system may open or close clutches to configure the drive train with each M/G working as a motor or a generator. A M/G working as a motor may use power from the batteries to supply rotational power to drive the vehicle or operate accessories on the vehicle. A M/G working as a generator coupled to a power source generates electric power for charging the array of batteries. The vehicle, including components and subsystems, may be powered electrically from the batteries or powered from the engine.

A four-wheel drive vehicle includes a drive-power distribution device including (a) a clutch for distributing an engine drive power, between main and auxiliary drive wheels, (b) an electric motor, (c) a press mechanism for pressing the clutch by converting a rotary motion of the electric motor into a linear motion. The drive-power distribution device adjusts a torque capacity of the clutch to adjust a drive-power distribution ratio between the main and auxiliary drive wheels. The vehicle further includes a control apparatus for executing a drive-power distribution control for adjusting the drive-power distribution ratio, and an automatic-stop control for causing the engine to be automatically stopped upon satisfaction of an engine-stop condition. When the engine is in a stop state by execution of the automatic-stop control, the control apparatus inhibits change of the drive-power distribution ratio which is to be made by change of a rotational direction of the electric motor.

Torque distribution control systems and methods for through-the-road electrified vehicles having distinct first and second torque generating systems for distinct first and second axles, respectively, utilize existing vehicle sensors to (i) obtain measured wheel rotational speeds and a measured steering wheel angle, (ii) estimate virtual yaw rates of the first and second axles using these measured values and other known vehicle parameters, (ii) predict whether oversteer or understeer of the vehicle is likely to occur based on the estimated first and second axle virtual yaw rates, and (iv) when oversteer or understeer of the vehicle is predicted to occur, adjust a torque distribution between the first and second torque generating systems to prevent the oversteer or understeer from occurring and to keep the vehicle on a constant turn path.

Techniques for managing wheel slip in a through-the-road hybrid vehicle comprise detecting a front wheel slip event based on measured rotational speeds of front wheels, determining a likelihood of a subsequent rear wheel slip event, when the front wheel slip event has ended and the likelihood of the subsequent rear wheel slip event satisfies a calibratable threshold, adjusting a front/rear axle torque split and pre-loading at least one of an engine and a belt-driven starter generator (BSG) unit coupled to a crankshaft of the engine to compensate for a torque drop that is predicted to occur during the rear wheel slip event, and re-adjusting the front/rear axle torque split and pre-unloading at least one of the engine and the BSG unit such that a drop in torque output at a front axle aligns with an end of the rear wheel slip event.

The present disclosure relates to a controller for controlling operation of at least first and second traction machines in a vehicle. The controller includes a processor configured to predict an operating temperature of each of said at least first and second traction machines for at least a portion of a current route. The processor determines at least first and second torque requests for said at least first and second traction machines. The at least first and second torque requests are determined in dependence on the predicted operating temperatures of the at least first and second traction machines. The processor generates at least first and second traction motor control signals in dependence on the determined at least first and second torque requests. The present disclosure also relates to method of controlling at least first and second traction machines in a vehicle.

When a required drive force of an engine becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value that deteriorates the characteristics of an engine mount, torque serving as a required drive amount of a rear electric motor is increased, so that the required drive force of the engine can be reduced. As a result, crushing of the engine mount that supports the engine is reduced, so that engine vibration transmitted to a vehicle body via the engine mount can be reduced.

Methods and systems are provided for a vehicle system. In one example, the vehicle system includes a first electric drive axle assembly and a second electric drive axle assembly. Each of the first and second axle assemblies has a gear train with a planetary gear set axially offset from a motor-generator and each planetary gear set is rotationally coupled to a differential.

The present disclosure relates to a controller for controlling operation of at least first and second traction machines in a vehicle. The controller includes a processor configured to predict an operating temperature of each of said at least first and second traction machines for at least a portion of a current route. The processor determines at least first and second torque requests for said at least first and second traction machines. The at least first and second torque requests are determined in dependence on the predicted operating temperatures of the at least first and second traction machines. The processor generates at least first and second traction motor control signals in dependence on the determined at least first and second torque requests. The present disclosure also relates to method of controlling at least first and second traction machines in a vehicle.